Railway-crossing gate



April 7, 1931. w. P. BYRD RAILWAY cRossING GATE Filed Sept. 8, 1930INVENTOR BY I 'A' 'TTORNE Y5.

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Patented Apr. 7, 1931 UNITED STATES WILLIAM I. BYRID, OF MIAMI, FLORIDARAILWAY-CROSSING GATE Application filed September 8, 1930. Serial No.480,488.

This invention relates to an improvement in crossing gates for railroadsand the like and more particularly to a device by means of which thecrossing gate may be pivoted for 6 horizontal movement when in itslowered position and at the same time positively secured againstswinging on such pivot when in its vertical or elevated position.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved railroadcrossing gate of the character indicated.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved lockingdevice for the pivoted arm of the gate.

Further objects will more particularly appear in the course of thefollowing detailed description.

One sheet of drawings accompanies this specification as part thereof inwhich like reference characters indicate like parts throughout.

* Figure 1 is a plan view of that part of a crossing gate embodying thepresent invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation corresponding to Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. 4

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view looking from the bottom up to illustratethe tension device.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional detail of a detent mechanism formingpart of this invention, the scale being enlarged.

Referring to the drawings l 1 indicate short side members of thecrossing gate which are pivoted as at 25 on a horizontal pivotassociated with gate raising and lowering mechanism of any preferredform and not here shown but contained within casing 16. The framemembers 11 are connected by tranverse frame members 2-2 to hold same inspaced relation.

Mounted on and fixedly secured to the frame members 1 1 is a wheel 4having an upper flat bearing face. Associated with wheel 4 is a verticalhollow bearing member 14 through which an electrical cable 13 may bepassed to carry current to a beacon or other signal on the top of boom3. The boom or arm 3 is fixedly associated with aplate 5 by means ofside flanges 6 and clamp 8 and the boom 3 and plate 5 are pivoted on thehollow bearing 14. The boom 3 and its associated plate 5 are securedwith respect to hollow bearing member 14 by means of nuts 15 adapted toengage'the ends of the bearing member 14 and i desired a clip 17 may beinterposed between the upper nut 15 and the boom 3, as illustrated.

. To hold the boom 3 normally in parallel alignment with the framemembers 1alb a hole is provided, preferably in the front of wheel 4, inwhich hole a ball 26 is positioned and held on a spring plate 20 securedto the underface of wheel 4 as by rivet 21. A detent 22 is provided inthe underface of plate 5 so that when the boom 3 and plate 5 are in theposition illustrated in Fig. 1 ball 26 will engage the detent in plate 5tending to resist any minor stresses on arm 3 by permitting the swingingof arm 3 on pivot 14 under any heavy or unusual strains or shocks. It isto be'understood that the ball and detent or similar mechanism may bearranged rearwardly of the wheel, if desired.

To automatically associate the locking of arm 3 with respect to framemembers 1alb when the gate is in elevated position a gravity controlledlocking device is provided which consists of a loop 9 of a shape andsize adapted to swing over the lower end of arm 3, the loop 9 beingpivoted on a transverse pivot rod 12 extending between frame members1a1b. Arms 10 depending from loop 9 have attached thereto a weight 11and arms 10 are inclined with respect to loop 9 in such manner that whengate 3 is in its lowered and horizontal position weight 11 will swingloop 9 clear of the end of arm 3 as illustrated in Fig. 2.

Upon the raising of the gate to vertical position, however, weight 11will automatically raise loop 9 to engage the lower end of arm 3 andthus positively lock arm 3 against any pivotal movement while inelevated position.

Various modifications will readily suggest themselves to those skilledin the art but within the scope of the present invention as claimed.

Having thus fully described by invention, I claim:

1. In a crossing gate, a frame member mounted on a horizontal pivotalsupport, an arm member, a pivotal connection between said members,tension means for holding the arm member in predetermined relation tothe frame member, and gravity controlled means for locking the armmember against pivotal movement when the frame member is raised tovertical position.

2. The structure of claim 1, in which the pivotal connection betweensaid members is perpendicular to the horizontal pivotal support for theframe member.

3. The structure of claim 1, in which the pivotal connection includes awheel secured to one of said members and a plate slidable on the wheelsecured to the other member and in which the tension means includes adetent in one of said members and a spring pressed element carried bythe other member and adapted to engage said detent.

4. The structure of claim 1, in which the gravity controlled lockingmeans comprises a loop adapted to engage the end of the arm member, apivotal support for the loop and a weight associated with the loopwhereby said loop is rocked by said weight over and away from the armmember in predetermined positions.

5. The structure of claim 1, in which the gravity controlled lockingmeans comprises a loop adapted to engage the end of the arm member, apivotal support for the loop on the frame member parallel with thepivotal support of the frame member, and a weight associated with theloop for rocking same 011 said pivot.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM P. BYBD.

